In a fuel cell of a solid high polymer type, oxygen or hydrogen is supplied to a plurality of cells which are formed by laminating membrane electrode structures and separators alternately on top of each other to cause a chemical reaction, thereby generating electric power.
The fuel cell attracts attention because the fuel cell provides high power generation efficiency and does not discharge carbon dioxide. There has been developed means for laminating alternately membrane electrode structures and separators on top of each other. As the reference that relates to such laminating means, for example, there is available the Japanese patent publication 2003-22827. Also, the present applicants have proposed, in the patent application No. 2006-199573,, a laminating apparatus which superimposes sheet-shaped members on top of each other in such a manner that the sheet-shaped members are pressed from below using a lift device to maintain the positions of the upper surfaces of the sheet-shaped members at a constant height.
A related-art fuel cell is an object to be studied and the mass production or the cost reduction of the fuel cell has not been examined sufficiently. An operation to laminate alternately the membrane electrode structures and separators on top of each other, in some cases, relies on manpower.
In order to be able to mass produce fuel cells and reduce the costs of the fuel cell as well as to maintain the power generation performance at a proper level, it is desired to laminate the membrane electrode structures and separators more accurately and quickly.